"Say, I've raised money enough to send Sam Barney to Philadelphy, if you fellers come up with the nickels you promised."
"How much will it cost?" and Dan began searching his pockets for the contribution which had been promised in his name.
"I can get the duffer over there for seventy-five cents, by sendin' him with the emigrants. I gave him a big stiff this afternoon 'bout how we fellers would give him a chance to show how much of a detective he is, an' he puffed 'way up, allowin' there wasn't many men on the force in this town who could beat him. He believes it's a great snap to go off huntin' after Jip, an' hasn't got head enough to think of how he'll get back."
"Here's my nickel," and Seth produced the money, Dan following his partner's example. "I'll be glad if we can get rid of Sam; but I'm 'fraid that won't settle things for Jip."
Then he repeated all 'Lish Davis had said regarding the matter, and when he concluded Master Dean was looking remarkably serious.
"If the firemen are goin' to run Jip down, there ain't much show we can keep him out er trouble. Don't you s'pose the driver would kind-er help somehow?"
"From what he said this afternoon it didn't seem as if he would, but perhaps he'll change his mind after a while," Dan replied, not minded to cloud this first merry-making in the new home by disagreeable thoughts, and attempted to change the subject of the conversation by speculating as to what sort of a welcome Sam Barney was most likely to receive from the Philadelphia boys.
"They'll think he's a mighty good feller till he lets out strong on what he can do in the detective business, an' then they'll tumble to him," Bill Dean replied with the air of one who has closed an argument finally. "So long as he leaves town we needn't bother our heads about him; it's Jip I'm thinkin' of, an' it seems to me as if we ought'er see him mighty soon."
"Why?" Dan asked in surprise.
"Because he must know what 'Lish Davis says, else he's likely to knock 'round Ninety-four's house 'most any time."